Rotary seaming head



Aug. 12, 1952 H NT 2,606,515

ROTARY SEAMING HEAD Filed March 18, 1947 2 SHEETS SHEET l i INVEN TOR. HARVEY l BRYAN A T TORNEY.

g- 12, 1952 H. BRYANT ROTARY SEAMING HEAD 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed March 18, 1947 INVEN TOR. HARVEY L. BRYAJSZT A 7 TORNEY.

Patented Aug. 12, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ROTARY SEAMmG HEAD Harvey L. Bryant, Roselle, N. J.

Application March 18, 1947, Serial No. 735,341

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to can end closing and curling heads for can making machinery. The head of the invention will be referred to hereinafter as a seaming head, but it is of course to be understood that the applicability of the head is not so limited and that the Word seaming is used merely for facilitating the description. One skilled in the art will readily appreciate the other uses to which the mechanism described can be applied.

The seaming head of this invention is of the high speed, universal type, being usable for he closing of all shapes of containers, from square to cylindrical, and being adaptable for use in the various types or designs of can closing machines now in use. I am, of course, aware that it is common practice to employ a pattern cam to cause seaming rollers to follow the contour of the can being closed, and to use two sets of rollers to perform two different operations, the second of which complements the first in completing the double seaming, crimping or metal end curling, as the case may be. Furthermore, I appreciate that it is not broadly new to employ roller actuating levers, such as shown in my prior Patent No. 1,716,618 of June 11, 1929, to follow the contour of the pattern cam, and to impart the same to the closing rollers.

It has occurred to me, however, that seaming heads now in use require the seaming rollers to be in contact with the head being secured over too long a period of time. Any saving of time, at all, is worth while in the art of this type, for

such saving translated into the millions of cans worked upon, becomes a very substantial factor from the canners standpoint. Furthermore, the efforts that have been made to save time, have in a measure defeated themselves, since complexity of mechanism has been the course adopted, and that has been productive of increased wear of the parts so that in the long run very little saving has actually been effected.

The seaming head of my invention, on the contrary, is of simple construction, with parts, kept to a minimum, and with movements selected so that wear will be negligible. A material saving in it is nevertheless effected, since the pairs of rollers to perform each of the first and second seaming operations are brought into fully active position almost instantaneously. The actual contact of the seaming rollers with the can head is completed in three quarters of a turn, or less, of the head, while the whole cycle of introducing one can, through the seaming of the same, to the introduction of the next one, takes place in one and a half turns of theseaming head. This is accomplished by a quick, inward movement of the pivots of the roller actuating levers. The mechanism which I have devised for accomplishing this is a pair of racks, each of which'operates a pair of seaming rollers. In other words, one rack operates the set of first operation rollers, while the other operates the set of second operation rollers. The racks, in turn, actuate pinions which turn eccentric sleeves forming the pivot for the levers. The racks are quickly moved from their extreme positions by simple differential cam action. The details of this arrangement will be pointed out fully in the description of the invention which follows.

The general over-all object of my invention is to reduce the time required for the seaming, crimping, or comparableoperation on a can end, all of which came under the general heading of closing.

A more specific object of my invention is to reduce the time required for the closing rollers to be in contact with the can.

Another object of my invention is to reduce the time required to produce a complete cycle of operation of a can closing machine.

Still another object of my invention is to reduce the wear on all the parts of the closing head of a can closing machine, by reducing the time per can required for closing.

A further object of my invention is to increase the productive rate of can closing machines.

Further objects of my invention will in part be obvious, and in part be pointed out from the description of the embodiment of my invention, shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a seaming head, in accordance with my invention, with parts broken away to show some of the elements in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view, looking down on the head and taken through the center lines of the eccentrics employed for operating the roller mounting levers.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the eccentric sleeve-pinion construction for moving the pivot points of the actuating levers, and

Figure 4. is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a rack bar and rack adjacent the point where they come together.

Referring particularly to Figure 1, the main shaft of the head, and upon which the body of the head rotates, is shown at l. The supporting bracket for receiving the main shaft I, and thus supporting the whole of the head in the machine,

. referred to.

is shown at 2. The clamp 3, overlying the bracket 2, clamps the shaft I and enables the shaft to be vertically adjusted, with respect to the clamp Z, by some such means as the adjusting clamp, nut and bolt shown at 4. Other brackets, and other vertical adjusting clamps, might, of course, be used depending upon the form of closing machine employed, as would be understood by one skilled in the art. The clamp and bracket shown are thus merely employed for illustrative purposes.

The main shaft I being tubular, facilitates the reception therein of a smaller tubular shaft 5, which is known as the chuck holder, inasmuch as the lower end of it carries the chuck E3. The chuck holder extends all the way up past the upper end of the main shaft I, to emergethereabove and be engaged by the chuck holder looking nut l, which nut has its lower surface in engagement with the portion 8 of the main shaft I, which extends up above the clamp 3. Thus the chuck 6 can be vertically adjusted with respect to the other elements of the head, and can be set in adjusted position. A knockout rod 9 is mounted with the bore of the tubular chuck holder 5, and extends throughout the length of the same to actuate some means such as a knockout pad carried with the chuck 6, as would be well known to one skilled in the art. A seaming cam I0, whose cam face is selected in accordance with the-shape of the work piece to be operated upon, is secured to thebottom face of the bracket 2 by the clamping bolt II, which extends through a laterally extending shoulder I2 on the bracket 2 and into the body of the cam in. The shoulder I2 is equipped with one or more adjusting screws I3 to engage the body of the bolt II for slight adjustments.

The housing for the rotating part of the head, is generally shown at I4. This housing is mounted upon the main shaft I and freely rotatable thereon, due to the imposition of upper .and lower ball bearing races. The upper hearing race includes inner. and outer bearing sleeves I5 and I6 suitably formed to ride on the ball bearing IT. The lower bearing race has inner and outer sleeves I8 and I9 riding on ball bearings 20. The upper and lower bearing races are held apart by inner and outer spacer sleeves 20 and 22 .respectively, which sleeves engage the respective inner and outer bearing sleeves just The lower bearing sleeve I8 seats against the shoulder 23 formed by an outwardly extending. annular portion of the main shaft I, while the upper bearing sleeve I5 is held down in position by means of the clamp nut 24, whose advance lip engages the upper surface of the bearing sleeve. The outer bearing sleeves I 9 and I6 are held inwardly, and the sleeve I9 is held up in proper position by engagement with suitable portions of the housing I4. Finally, the upper outer bearing sleeve I6 is held down in place by engagement with the downwardly extending lip 25, on the lever guide plate 26. Thus the bearing mounting of the housing I4, on the main shaft I is accurately provided for.

The lever guide plate 26 is held in place on the housing I4 by suitable bolts, as shown, and is provided with guide slots 21 in which the upper portions of the seaming levers 28 swing.

The seaming levers 28 are carried by the head I4 and are four in number, being spaced equidistantly about the head as seen in Figure 2. The upper ends of the levers 28 are equipped with cam rolls 29 in a mounting which provides for vertical adjustment so that the wider center portions of its rolls can be centered with respect to the surface of the profile cam I ll. Midway of their lengths the levers are furnished with enlarged, bored, bosses 3B for reception of the pivotal mounting members to be hereinafter described. At their lower ends the levers 28 are provided with yokes 3| which fit between pairs of ears 32 and are pivotally mounted, with respect thereto, by pivot pins 33.

The ears 32 extend upward from seaming slide adjusting blocks 34 which, in turn are adjustably secured to the seaming slides 35 by means of the stud bolts 36 and the adjusting set screws 37. The seaming slides 35 ride in and out in suitable guide ways provided by the head, as seen by the extending portions 38. The seaming slides 35 are recessed at their inner ends to receive the seaming rollers 39. Each seaming roller 39 is rotatably mounted by means of suitable anti-friction bearings on a stud shaft 40, whose upper end is seated in the extending shelf M of its slides 35, and is held in place therein by means of the set screw 42. In addition, each roller has an annular collar 43 which rides in adjustable in and out relationship in the annular channel 44, formed around the seaming chuck 6.

Where the can closing action calls for the performance of first and second operations, such as in double seaming, two pairs of rollers are required, each pair being at opposite ends of diameters at right angles to each other. The differences in the formation of such first and second operation rollers are well known to those skilled in the art and need not be gone into here. In the instant showing, both rollers 39 are for the performance of the same operation on opposite sides of the member being worked on. Part of one of the rollers performing the other operation is shown at 45. When merely a curl, a crimped seam or other simple joint is to be formed, one pair of rollers may be dispensed with since such a joint can be performed in a single operation by one pair of rollers. The bottom face of the head is protected by a seaming head guard plate 46.

The head is driven by means of a ring gear 4l, having teeth 48, which gear is suitably mounted on the head. In the positions of the gear 41 opposite the levers 28 the gear is provided with bores to house the springs 49 which urge plungers 50 against the levers 28 at depressions 5| therein. This spring action presses the upper ends of the levers 2B inwardly and thus maintains the cam rolls 29 in constant contact with the cam surface of the profile cam II].

The pivotal mounting of the levers 28, and the means I have devised for imparting a quick inward and outward movement of the same, is best shown in Figures 2 and 3. The pivotal mounting member per se, as shown in Figure 3, is in the nature of a sleeve, having an enlarged head 52, an axially symmetrical body portion 53, and an off-center body portion 54. This sleeve is furnished with an axial bore 55, which tightly receives the securing end of a pinion member 56, whose other end 51 projects from the sleeve and is provided with suitable teeth as shown. Referring now to Figure 2, it will be seen that the member shown in Figure 3 is mounted in aligned bores in the opposed ears 58 and 59 which extend out laterally from the body of the housing I4. Each pair of ears, as shown, serves to receive the body of one of the levers 28 therebetween, where such levers are elongated in th form of bosses 36, previously referred to.

The bores of the ears 58 and 59 receive the symmetrical portion 53 of the mounting sleeve and a portion of the similarly symmetrical pinion member 56 in suitable bearings 60 and 6|, respectively. The elongated boss portion 30, of the lever 28, however, has its bore mounted by means of suitable anti-friction bearings on the eccentric portion 55 of the sleeve. The set line of this eccentric 54, as shown at B2, is spaced from the true center 63 of the sleeve and pinion, in order to illustrate the movement that can be imparted to the pivot of the lever 28, by the turning of the sleeve brought about by the turning of the pinion 5i. Obviously, the lever 28, by means of the mounting of its boss 3! upon the eccentric portion 54, can swing freely about that mounting. In addition, being moved quickly inwardly and outward 1y at its pivot point, by the action of the eccentric 5 3. This inward and outward movement is increased at the yoke 3|, at the bottom of the lever, inasmuch as the upper end of the lever is unable to swing, since its cam roll is maintained in engagement with the profile cam It,

s by the spring 49.

The pinion member is turned by the action of a rack member t l, which engages the tooth portion 5'5 of the pinion member. Each of these rack members rides in a slideway 65, and each opposed pair of rack members is tied together by identical operation, by means of an operating bar (it, which as shown is suitably secured by means such as the bolt 61, in receiving slots formed in the rack member 6 Certain other portions of the head are removed in order to provide working I paths for the operating bars, and of course, one bar must be set at a different level than the other, in order that they clear each other. One rack member of each pair is provided with a cam roll, as shown at 63, to receive the drive for actuation of its pair of racks.

The actuation of the pairs of racks through the cam roll 68 is accomplished by means of the differential cam gear 89, which is mounted for free rotation, with respect to the body 64, on a guide,

or mounting ring it. This gear can, accordingly, be driven at the proper differential speed, with respect to the speed of the head it. The under surface of this gear, as seen at ll, is formed with a dllierential cam slot, which receives the cam rolls 68, and thus through them imparts the desired actuation to the racks. This slot roove, as shown in Figure 2, has a long dwell portion i2, an abrupt rise 1;; to an. operating portion M, and an abrupt fall it. From this showing, also, it can readily be seen that the first of the cam rolls 6-8 leads the second 58' by only a short portion of the travel of the cam slot. Actually, this distance is approximately 62 with respect to the center of the head, so that the second operation rolls is will come into operative engagement with the container, shortly after the first operation rolls have done so, but at a position slightly beyond that where the first operation rolls came into engagement, so as not to interfere with the part where the first operation commenced.

Considering the operation of the elements of the device just described, which greatly improve upon the prior art practices, attention is directed to the pivotal mounting of the levers 21, and the manner of moving the same just described. The normal rotation of the seaming head is taken care of by the drive transmitted through the gear 47, which thus causes the whole head, including the seaming rollers 39 and 45, to spin about the center shaft 2. Thus the cam rolls 29 run around the surface of the seaming cam l0 and follow the pattern set by it. This action, however, would have no effect, unless means were provided to bring the rolls 39 and 45 into contact with the head of a can to be seamed in place, as that can were introduced into seaming position. Heretofore, this contacting of the seaming rollers with the work has been reached gradually, taking a considerable portion of a revolution of the head. The same has also been true of the action of bringing the seaming out of operative position. Thus, a seaming cycle, from introduction of one can to introduction of the next, under the best prior art practice, has taken approximately three revolutions of the seaming head. The incorporation of my invention in a head, however, enables the reduction of this cycle to one and one-half revolutions.

My differential cam gear 69, as shown, is driven independently of the seaming head by suitable mechanism, so that its speed, with respect to that of the head, can be selected as desired. As the gear its runs around, the cam roll 68 operating in the differential cam slot ll, reaches the rise "It and is suddenly kicked up into the high part M of the cam slot. Assuming that the mechanism has been set so that this particular roll 68 is the one operating the first operation eccentric drive rack 54, those racks, in engagement with the pinions 57, will quickly turn the same at the point of the rise '53. This will result in the quick turning of the eccentric sleeves 54, and a consequent sudden inward movement of the pivot points for the levers 28, from the center 63 to the center 62. Thus the seaming slides 35, will be moved quickly inwardly into engagement with the cam head on which the first operation is to be performed. The rolls 3!! will remain so engaged through the travel of the high part 14 of the cam.

The cam l i, of the instant illustration provides that after the first operation rolls 39 have been acting upon the can head for approximately 62 of rotation of the seaming head, the cam roll 68' will reach the rise 73, and will result in quickly bringing the second operation seaming rolls into operative position in the same manner as the first operation seaming rolls were actuated. The 62 difference here enables the second operation seaming rolls to engage the can head at a position just past the beginning of the first operation action, and, at the end of its run to finish up the part which its mate ahead of it did not touch. The fall 75 of the cam slot ll moves the seaming rolls out of engagement with the can just as quickly as they were moved in at the rise 73. If, then, the gear 69 is driven at such a speed, with respect to the rotation of the head, that both sets of first and second operation rolls are brought into contact with the can, and perform their operations in no more than three-quarters of a revolution of the seaming head, only enough idle time need be allowed for removing the finished can, and replacing it by one to be operated on by the head. This can be accomplished in another three-quarter of a rotation of the seaminghead, so that the whole cycle is completed in amere one and one-half turns of the seaming head. Not only does the mechanism of my invention introduce a marked speed-up in thecan closing art, but I have found that by the quick introduction and removal of the seaming rollers, rather than the gradual one heretofore employed,

a better, more uniform seam results. This is additionally enhanced by bringing the second operation rollers into action just past the point where the first operation started to act.

Shouldv my mechanism be employed for single operation work, such as curling or crimping, only oneset of actuating rollers would be needed. Here then a complete cycle of the machine would require one and one-half turns of the seaming head, while the crimping or curling would be completed in one-third. of a cycle of the machine, or one-half of a turn of thehead.

I believe that the mechanical movements that I have selected as shown and described herein, are for this particular application, somewhat superior to those customarily considered as their equivalents. It is to be appreciated, however, that such equivalents might still be employed for the practice of the invention with satisfactory results, so my selection of the particular movements shown is not to be construed in a limiting sense. Speaking more generally I have, in the above description and the accompanying drawing, shown and described what I presently consider to be the preferred manner of puttin my invention into effect. Such matter is, however, to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense, inasmuch as one skilled in the art will appreciate how changes may be made in the above construction, and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the-scope thereof.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to obtain Letters Patent for is:

1. In a seaming head, a support, a rotatable housing carried by said support, a seamer arm, a seaming roller mounted at one end of said seamer arm and acam follower mounted at the other end thereof, a pattern cam mounted on said support for engaging said cam follower, means for moving said seaming roller into and out of operative position, said means including an eccentric carried by said housing and operable about a horizontal axis, means for mounting said seamer arm on said eccentric at a position spawd from the ends of said arm, a member for actuating said eccentric, a second cam follower carried by said member to actuate the same, a differential cam mounted on said housing for rotation with respect thereto, said second cam follower engaging said differential cam and means for actuating said differential cam.

2.v In a seaming head, a support, a rotatable housing carried by said support, a seamer arm, a seaming roller mounted at one end of said seamer arm and a cam follower mounted at the other end thereof, a pattern cam mounted on said support for engaging said cam follower, means for moving said seaming roller into and out of operative position, said means including an eccentric carried by said housing and operable about a horizontal axis, means for mounting said seamer arm on said eccentric at a position spaced from the ends of said arm, a member for actuating said eccentric, a second cam follower carried by said member to actuate the same, a differential ring type cam mounted on said housing for rotation about the same and with respect thereto, said ring type cam being formed with a cam slot in one face thereof, said second cam follower being seated in said slot, and means for rotating said ring type cam.

3. In a seaming head, a support, a rotatable housing carried by said support, a seamer arm, a seaming roller mounted at one end of said seamer arm and a cam follower'mounted at the other end thereof, a pattern cam mounted on said support for engaging said cam follower, a pivotal mounting member operable about a horizontal axis, said pivotal mounting member including an eccentric, mounting means formed on said seamer arm intermediate the ends thereof for mounting the same on said eccentric, said eccentric serving to mov said seamer arm inward and outward in toto to move said seaming roller into and out of operative position, and said pivotal mounting of said seamer arm on said eccentric providing a swinging movement where by said seaming roller is caused to follow the path of said pattern cam, a member for actuating said eccentric, a second cam follower carried by said member, a differential cam mounted on said housing for rotation with respect thereto, said second cam follower engaging said differential cam, and means for actuating said differential cam whereby the cam action of said differential cam will be imparted to said member which in turn will actuate said eccentric.

4. In a seamin head, a support, a rotatable housing carried by said support, a seamer arm, a seaming roller mounted at one end of said seamer arm and a cam follower mounted at the other end thereof, a pattern cam mounted on said support for engaging said cam follower, means for moving said seaming roller into and out of operative position, said means including an eccentric carried by said housing and operable about a horizontal axis, means for mounting said seamer arm on said eccentric at a position spaced from the ends of said arm, a member for actuating said eccentric, a second cam follower carried by said member to actuate the same, a differential cam mounted on said housing for rotation with respect thereto, said differential cam formed with a circumferential cam surface, said cam surface having an effective zone of less than one-half of said circumference, said effective zone commencing at an abrupt rise and terminating at an abrupt fall, said second cam follower engaging said cam surface of said differential cam and means for actuating said differential cam.

5. In a seaming head, a support, a rotatable housing carried by said support, a seamer arm, a seaming roller mounted at one end of said seamer arm and a cam follower mounted at the other end thereof, a pattern cam mounted on said support for engaging said cam follower, means for moving said seaming roller into and out of operative position, said means including an eccentric carried by said housing and operable about a horizontal axis, means for mounting said seamer arm on said eccentric at a position spaced from the ends of said arm, a member for actuating said eccentric, a second cam follower carried by said member to actuate the same, a ring type differential cam mounted on and about said housing for rotation with respect thereto, said differential cam formed with a cam slot in a lateral face thereof, said cam slot being formed with an effective zone therein of less than one-half the circumference of said differential cam, said effective zone commencing at an abrupt rise and terminating in an abrupt fall, said second cam follower engaging said cam slot for actuation thereby and means for actuating said differential cam.

6. In a seaming head, a support, a rotatable housing carried by said support, an eccentric pivot member mounted on said housing fo actuation about a horizontal aXis, a lever formed with a pivot seated intermediate the ends thereof for reception of said eccentric, said lever being mounted on said eccentric for swingable movement thereon and for movement therewith inwardly and outwardly of the body of said housing, a cam follower at one end of said lever, a pattern cam carried by said support and engaging said cam follower, a seaming roll, a seaming roll carrying member and means for mounting said carrying member on the other end of said lever, a differential ring gear mounted on said housing and for rotation around the same, said ring gear formed with a cam slot in one face thereof,

said cam slot having an effective zone of less than one-half of the circumference of said gear, said effective zone commencing in an abrupt rise and terminating in an abrupt fall, and mechanism for actuating said eccentric, said mechanism including a member in engagement with one end of said eccentric for turning the same, a second cam follower mounted on said member, said secand cam follower being seated in said differential cam slot for actuation thereby, whereby said cam action will be imparted to said member for turning said eccentric aid moving said lever inward and outward with respect to said housing.

7. In a seaming head, a support, a rotatable housing carried by said support, an eccentric pivot member mounted on said housing for actuation about a horizontal axis, a lever formed with a pivot seated intermediate the ends thereof for reception of said eccentric, said lever being mounted on said eccentric for swingable movement thereon and for movement therewith inwardly and outwardly of the body of said housing, a cam follower at one end of said lever, a pattern cam carried by said support and engaging said cam follower, a seaming roll, a seaming roll carrying member and means for mounting said carrying member on the other end of said lever, a differential ring gear mounted on said housing and for rotation around the same, said ring gear formed with a cam slot in one face thereof, said cam slot having an effective zone of less than one-half of the circumference of said gear, said effective zone commencing in an abrupt rise and terminating in an abrupt fall, and mechanism for actuating said eccentric, said mechanism including a gear carried by said eccentric, a rack in engagement with said gear, an extension formed on said rack, a second cam follower carried by said extension and said second cam follower being seated in said differential cam slot for actuation thereby, whereby said rack turns said gear in response to the action of said cam rollers, said seamin rollers being carried at one end of their respective levers, each of said levers having a cam follower mounted at the opposite end thereof, a pattern cam carried by said support and engaging said cam followers about horizontal axes being formed on each of said levers intermediate the ends thereof, eccentrics mounted to operate about said horizontal axes, said eccentrics bein carried by said head and being formed with pivotal surfaces engaged with said pivotal surfaces of said levers, each of said eccentrics being formed with an actuating portiOn extending therefrom, a pair of actuating members carried by said housing, each of said actuating members having portions in engagement with the actuating portions of said eccentrics, for actuating-a pair of said seamin rollers, cam followers carried by each of said members, a differential type cam formed with a cam slot in the face thereof, said ring type cam being mounted on said housing for rotation about and with respect to the same, said cam slot having an effective portion less than one-half the circumference thereof, said cam slot commencing at an abrupt rise and terminating in an abrupt fall on said second cam followers carried by said members being seated in said cam slot for actuation thereby.

9. In mechanism as defined in claim 8 wherein said eccentrics are provided with extending pinions and said actuating members carry rack elements in engagement with said pinions for actuating the same.

10. In mechanism as defined in claim 8 said second cam followers being spaced approximately 62 of rotation of said differential cam slot apart with said cam follower for said first operation seaming rollers preceding said seam follower for said second operation seaming rollers.

HARVEY L. BRYANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 905,801 Diecks Dec. 1, 1908 1,167,345 Brenzinger Jan. 4, 1916 1,517,740 Malmquist Dec. 2, 1924 1,716,618 Bryant June 11, 1929 1,752,328 Cameron Apr. 1, 1930 1,819,250 Lange Aug. 18, 1931 1,941,972 Cameron Jan. 2, 1934 2,308,296 Mills Jan. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 166,079 Germany Dec. 5, 1905 107,771 Great Britain Oct. 17, 1918 

